Grow deep roots to harvest rich fruit! When your roots run deep, you cannot help but bear the fruit of the Spirit.
- Michael Beckwith
The honest student of Scripture soon discovers that as a textbook the Bible is anything but topical. This proves problematic for a variety of reason. Not the least of which is how to effectively communicating the Bible's true metamessages of God's love and forgiveness, mercy and grace for and to a fallen, sinful and often hostile world.
Growing in understanding and experience is crucial to fully receiving and sharing the benefits of Christ’s costly atonement accessible only by the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is nowhere more necessary than in regards to Divine love.
The concept of love of and for God, as well as that for others, constitutes a trinity of charity permeating the entirety of Scripture. Yet not in such a way as to eclipse other Divine attributes such as holiness and justice. Topics modern Christianity avoids and the Emerging Church denies.
Like many Biblical truths, the subject of heavenly love transcends human understanding and must be spiritually discerned by those who can see, hear and understand what Jesus through the Spirit is saying to the Churches. Authentic Divine love accentuates, rather than diminishes, the entirety of Omnity's nature. A distinction that takes honest and diligent Bible study to comprehend.
One example of the Scripture's challenging style of teaching is found in chapters five and six of Hebrews. Here the author, ultimately the Holy Spirit, in speaking of Melchizedek is frustrated buy a grievous lack of acumen and maturity on the part of his audience, the Church. He explains that spiritual meat or "solid food” is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Next the writer describes correct and incorrect reliance on doctrinal "milk." Then He delineates a surprising list of what spiritual meat is not. Finally he threatens the salvation of those who've "fallen away" at which point he returns to thoughts of Melchizedek. Never directly identifying what constitutes the meat of Scripture. See GB article Spiritual Meat for explanation.
Unfortunately this is somewhat typical of Scripture as a whole. The principal is discussed by Jesus when answering the question why He taught in parables?
- "He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (Matthew 13:11-17 NIV)
Those studiously employing these methods will note the meta message of Scripture is simply the importance of growing in genuine sensitivity and obedience to the Spirit of God. While such a task can be comprehensive, the Bible provides a clear and concise “cheat sheet” designed to ace the final exam. This all important spiritual “cliff note” can be summed up in the single yet expansive word “love.”
God has tasked mankind with the gracious directive to develop and practice love as it is defined in Scripture. While used in the Bible 760 times explicitly and far more often implicitly, it is more the quality than the quantity of it's usage making the study of this foremost aspect of the fruit of the Spirit one of if not the most critical in all of Scripture.
With this foundation being laid, let us begin our all-important study by turning our attention to perhaps the Bibles most detailed handling of the topic:
- "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way." (1 Corinthians 12:27-31 NIV)
- "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:1-13 NIV)
It should be noted that even should the above assumption be correct, this in no way obfuscates or eliminates our privilege and responsibility to inform our conscience, and that of others, in regards to what is certainly among the most important of human pursuits.
In regards to the 1 Corinthian 13 passage, most find it a moving description of the attributes of love. A smaller subset astutely recognize it also provides a kind of instruction manual, i.e. the more one practices any of love's virtues the more one walks in and is perfected by love.
- While undoubtedly true, an honest appraisal of the presence or more often lack thereof, of such divine nature permeating modern Christianity clearly reveals a troubling if not disastrous fall from grace.
- As tracked for decades by the Barna Group, the leading Christian polling agency, statistically there is less and less difference between the believers and their unbelieving counterparts in nearly every lifestyle indicator including the following: Prayerless and Biblical illiteracy, Worldliness and Entitlement, Promiscuity and Divorce, Pornography and Abortion, Greed and Gluttony, Alcohol and Drug use, etc.
- Such damning statistical evidence demonstrates that unprecedented low level of Christian love within Churchianity merits immediate attention as well as our best efforts at reversing the predicted present trend that "the love of many will grow cold."
- Seeing Christians are to be the salt and light of the world, the growing darkness in and around us suggests that in actuality Love fails miserably of we've failed miserably to love.
Promising Passages
This being said, let us consider just a few of the more salient Scriptures may prove helpful in our journey of discovery:
1. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:19-21, 24 NIV)
- Possible corollary: where your heart is there will your treasure be also.
- Generally speaking people love what they treasure. Beauty and persons, wealth and possessions, freedom and relaxation, amusement and hobbies...
- The question then becomes how do we realign the settings of our hearts that we might learn to love and/or treasure the right things in the right way?
2. "My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." (Proverbs 4:20-23 NKJV)
- Any and all passages dealing directly, like this verse, or indirectly with issues of the heart merit careful consideration.
3. "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:1-10, 12-15 NIV)
- Thankfulness would reasonably be key to the receiving and developing, practicing and maintaining Christian love for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that thankfulness is appears to be the opposite of the original and foundational sin of entitlement.
4. "The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MSG)
5. "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." (Galatians 5:13-26 NIV)
- The lifestyles of the original authors and participants of Christian love where those consumed with self-denial and service to others there by developing a relationship with the Spirit from which His fruit (singular) and gifts (plural) arise.
6. "Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:44-48 NIV)
7. "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:1-7 NIV)
- A mysterious and important passage. Studying the letter to the Ephesians may provide additional insight.
8. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit." (1 John 4:7-13 NIV)
9. "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:16-19 NIV)
- Many today overlooked the fact that we are instructed that "the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" not to mention over 100 uses of the word "fear" in the New Testament, the overwhelming majority of times appearing as a command to Christians. Example: "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
- While fear is the beginning of wisdom, it is not the end. Here we are told that those perfected in love have no further need of fear. Like the space shuttle jettisons it's solid fuel boosters in the achieving of orbit, so it seems those who have learned to live in love have little to fear from worldly gravity.
10. "This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:2-4 NIV)
- Like many others, this first passage provides both a promise and problem. The good news is we are instructed that loving one another, God's children, is equivalent to loving God. And that such love is demonstrated by keeping his commandments which are not burdensome whereby believers "overcome the world." The bad news is that rampantly increasing worldliness, far from being "overcome" is now a hallmark of Churchianity.
11. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17 NIV)
- Joy is likely another crucial aspect to Heavenly love. Ever present in romantic love, joy is the motivator for deeds both common and valiant. Timeless, like Jacob's love for Rachel, it seems to reduce the impossible to merely difficult, and the difficult to easy.
12. "The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:7-11 NIV)
13. "You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us ? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:4-10 NIV)
- It seems self-evident that radically submitting oneself and drawing near to Lord via the Holy Spirit would naturally cultivate God's presence and nature in one's life.
- Enticing rather than grieving the Holy Spirit as suggested by men like Smith Wigglesworth and more recently George Otis (Transformation Videos and Sentinel Group)
14. "Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-8 NIV)
- Receiving or seeing Spiritual truth seems to be a cooperative joint venture beginning with the heavenly event of being "born from above" and continuing by process and/or with a second work of grace being "born of water (Scripture/Baptism) and the Spirit" allowing Kingdom entrance.
- If correct, millions or perhaps more may mistakenly believe that being able to perceive this or that spiritual truth equates to salvation. Misunderstanding on this point might not only prove tragic but provide an explanation as to both the condition of Churchianity and Christ's many warnings easy believism.
15. "God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field." (Matthew 13:44 MSG)
16. "Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil." (Psalm 37:1-8 NIV)
Does God grant our current heart's desires, offer new hearts with genuine godly desires or both?
17. "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." (Ezekiel 36:25-27 NIV)
18. "This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds." (Hebrews 10:16 NIV)
19. "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us." (Romans 12:1-3 NLT)
- The Holy Spirit through Paul pleads with us to live as holy living sacrifices that we might be undergo transformation (metamorphoses) into nothing short than a new creation!
20. "Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good." (Romans 12:9-18, 21 NLT)
21. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘ No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV)
While unthinkable, it is quite possible that the 10 Virgins represent the true saved Church for the following reasons:
- Rarely if ever does Scripture call sinners "virgins."
- They all believed in the Bridegroom.
- They all went to out to meet Him (sanctification) had a testimony (lamp) burning.
- They all had oil in their lamps.
- They all fell asleep together.
- If so, half perish for lack of oil (here again we are not told what this invaluable commodity is).
- Oil and/or wine may be metaphors for the Holy Spirit and/or love (which enduring all things never fails)
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